Apparatus for tucking in vertical end webs of an overwrap



July 14, 1970 c, s v h'ls 3,520,103

APPARATUS FOR TUCKING IN VERTICAL END WEBS Of AN OVERWRAP Filed May 6, 1968 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

CHARLES HSTEYENB ATTYQ.

July 14, 1970 c. R. STEVENS APPARATUS FOR TUCKING IN VERTICAL END WEBS OF AN OVERWRAP Filed May 6, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 CHARLES H. 5 TEYENS Q ATTys.

July 14, 1970 c. R. STEVENS 03 APPARATUS FOR TUCKING IN VERTICAL END WEBS OF AN OVERWRAP Filed May 6, 1968 w 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR: CHARLES H. STEVENS.

ATTYS'.

United States Patent O 3,520,103 APPARATUS FOR TUCKING IN VERTICAL END WEBS OF AN OVERWRAP Charles R. Stevens, 4931 Oak Ridge Drive, Toledo, Ohio 43623 Filed May 6, 1968, Ser. No. 726,674 Int. Cl. B65b 7/04, 57/18 US. CI. 53-78 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for tucking in the outwardly protruding ends of an overwrap, particularly a heavy paper overwrap of a rectangular block of sheets of paper such as a ream. The edges of the overwrap are overlapped and sealed in a previous operation and the overwrapped block is introduced into the apparatus for movement along a path perpendicular to the overlapped seal. The apparatus has a conveyor for pushing the girth wrapped reams of paper between a pair of laterally spaced, horizontal plates that are pivotally mounted on vertical axes and that are spaced from each other a distance just slightly larger than the corresponding length of the block or ream of sheets. The plates engage the leading or front vertical web of the portion of the overwrap which extends beyond the block at a level approximately midway between the top and bottom of the block, and tuck the vertical webs of the overwrap horizontally inward between the horizontal webs thereof extending beyond the reamor block of sheets. When either of the plates is engaged by the corner of a canted or not centrally positioned block, it is swung outwardly on its vertical axis. The electrical circuit to the motor for the conveyor comprises two switches which are normally held closed actuators carried by the horizontal tucker plates. When either one of the tucker plates is swung outwardly -by the corner of an offset or canted block of sheets, the respective switch opens thus stopping the conveyor so that the operator may reposition the girth wrapped folio or ream in properly centered position on the line between the tucker plates. Rear end tuckers are tripped to tuck in the rear vertical webs of the overwrap just prior to their arrival at the location of the horizontal tucker plates. The conveyor may then move the block through folding shoes or the like which fold the horizontal webs of the overwrap around the tucked in end webs and the block of sheets.

In paper mills it is conventional to cut and stack sheets of paper of determined size in piles, each pile including a number of hundreds or thousands of sheets with indicator slips inserted between each group of sheets, called a folio or block and numbering say, 250 or 500 sheets, so that an operator subsequently can lift such a block of sheets and handle it as a unit.

In my copending application Ser. No. 601,046, filed Dec. 12, 1966, there is disclosed an apparatus for automatically girth wrapping such a block of sheets with an overwrap and for sealing the overwrap along its overlapped edges. Such an overwrap is longer than the block of sheets and the ends of the overwrap extend beyond the edges of the wrapped sheets providing front and rear vertical webs and upper and lower horizontal webs, which must be tucked in and folded to complete the end wraps.

The present application relates to an apparatus for tucking in the vertical webs of the ends of the overwrap both at the leading and trailing edges of the block of sheets, i.e., at the front corners and the rear corners when considered from the standpoint of the direction of movement of the girth wrapped folio, preliminarily to folding the horizontal webs of the ends of the wrapper down and up,

ice

respectively, around the tucked in webs to seal the ends of the wrapped folio.

It is the principal object of the instant invention to provide an end tucker mechanism for such an end wrap ping apparatus which comprises a pair of tucker plates spaced from each other a distance only slightly greater than the length of the block of sheets to be wrapped and which is provided with means for automatically stopping the apparatus in the event that a girth wrapped block is offset or canted in the machine so as to otherwise jam the machine by reason of its improper spacing.

It is yet another object of the instant invention to provide an overwrap end tucker mechanism which will automatically tuck in the vertical webs of the ends of the extending portion of a wrapper for a solid block of material such as a block of sheets of paper, and which will stop the apparatus in the event that the object or block of sheets to be wrapped is offset or canted and thus would otherwise jam in the apparatus.

These and more specific objects and advantages of an apparatus embodying the invention will be better understood from the specification which follows and from the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a wrapping apparatus particularly illustrating the overwrap end tucker station;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the end tucker station of such an apparatus and particularly illustrating the operation of the front tuckers embodying the instant invention when a block of sheets is canted, and is shown on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2 and shown on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation taken from the position generally indicated by the line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view generally similar to FIG. 2 and illustrating the overwrap and tucker mechanism and its operation in response to an offset girth wrapped block;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the operation of one of the rear tuckers;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 7--7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, exploded view illustrating a simplified wiring diagram.

Although the end tuckers embodying the instant invention will be described as they are arranged for the purpose of tucking in the vertical webs of the ends of an overwrap for a block or folio of sheets of paper, particularly one which has previously been girth wrapped as for example by the apparatus shown in my copending application referred to above, it will be appreciated that the overwrap end tuckers embodying the instant invention have utility and may be employed for tucking in the ends of wrappers of objects other than folios of sheets of paper. For this reason, the girth wrapped folio of sheets of paper will be subsequenlty called an overwrapped block and the word block is to be interpreted as comprising the unitary group of sheets or folio of sheets of paper, as well as any other generally similar solid mass about which an overwrap has previously been folded and sealed along one overlapping margin of the overwrap leaving the ends of the overwrap protruding beyond the margins of the block enclosed therein.

An end tucker embodying the invention is a portion of an end folding and closing apparatus which comprises an on-table, generally indicated by the reference number 10, an overhead paddle conveyor, generally indicated by the reference number 11, and a machine table generally indicated by the reference number 12. In a machine for end wrapping blocks of sheets which have previously been girth wrapped, an operator places a girth Wrapped block on the table 10 and, either by eye or by guides, the girth wrapped block should be centered beneath the flight of the conveyor 11. Such a girth wrapped block is generally indicated in FIG. 1 by the reference number 13 and comprises a block or folio of sheets 14 and an overwrap 15. The overwrap 15 is longer than the block 14 leaving ends 16 and 17 extending beyond the margins of the block 14. The overwrap 15 is also overlapped and sealed along a margin as shown by the dotted portion in FIG. 2 indicated generally by the reference number 18. As can best be seen in FIG. 1, each of the ends 16 and 17 thus has four portions, viz., a front vertical web- 19, a rear vertical web 20, a lower horizontal web 21, and an upper horizontal web 22.

The machine table 12 extends longitudinally away from the on-table 10 and the paddle conveyor 11 extends along across the on-table 10 and above the center of the machine table 12. The conveyor 11, comprises a plurality of conveyor paddles 23 spaced from each other on the [flights of conveyor belts or chains 24 a distance sufiicient to allow an operator to insert a girth Wrapped block 13 onto the on-table 10* where it is subsequently engaged by the next one of the paddles 23 to be moved off of the on-table 10 and along the machine table 12. The conveyor 11 is carried by spaced pairs of sprockets 25 which are mounted by suitable shafts and bearing means above the tables -10 and 12 and is driven at a suitable speed by conventional electric power, such as an electric motor, that is cotnrolled through a conventional wiring circuit. The circuitry for the motor (see FIG. 8) which drives the conveyor 11 comprises stop and start buttons and also comprises a pair of normally closed microswitches 26 (indicated in FIG. 8. as SW1 and SW2). The switches 26 are wired into the circuitry in such fashion that if either of them opens, the motor driving the conveyor 11 will immediately stop.

When the operator places the girth wrapped block 13 on the table 10, he endeavors to center it beneath the flight of the conveyor 11 so that the ends 16 and 17 extend laterally therefrom the same distance, i.e., so that the girth wrapped block 13 is centered on the machine table 12 and beneath the conveyor 11 when it is first put into the position generally indicated in FIG. 1. In end wrapping a girth wrapped block 13, it is first necessary to tuck in the vertical webs 19 and 20 between the upper and lower webs 2 1 and 22 and then to either fold down the upper web 22 and fold up the lower web 21, or vice versa.

The instant invention relates only to the end tucker operation, i.e., the tucking in of the front and rear verti cal webs 19 and 20.

When the conveyor 11, through its paddle 23, moves the girth wrapped block 13 in the direction of the open arrow shown thereon in FIG. 1, the girth wrapped block 13 first passes between and engages a pair of opposed, spaced, tucker plates '27 and 28 which are mounted at opposite sides of the machine table 12 in line to engage the respective front vertical webs 19 on both sides of the girth wrapped block 13. If the girth wrapped block 13 has properly been centered beneath the conveyor 11, no problem is likely to result because the innermost opposed edges of the tucker plates 27 and 28 are spaced horizontally from each other a distance slightly greater than the similar length of the block 14 around which the front and rear webs 19 and 20 are to be tucked. Under these conditions, if the block is properly centered, the two tucker plates 27 and 28 engage the front vertical webs 19 and fold them in horizontally as the girth wrapped block 13 is moved therebetween by the conveyor paddle 23.

Each of the tucker plates 27 and 28 is secured near the upper end of a vertical rocker pin 29 (see also FIGS. 4 and and each of the respective pins 29 is journaled 4 in a sleeve 30. Each sleeve 30 is carried by a clamping block 31 and each block 31 is mounted on an edge flange 32 of the machine table 12. The position of each sleeve 30 in its respective clamping block 31 is adjustable vertically in order to align the respective one of the tucker plates 27 or 28 with about the vertical midpoint of the end webs 19 or 20, or at a level about one-half the height of the particular block 13 in question. The sleeve 30 is held in the adjusted vertical position by a clamping screw 33 provided with a knurled knob 34 which is threaded through the block 31 and engages the exterior surface of the sleeve 30. 1

Each of the tucker plates 27 and 28 carries an actuating finger 35 which depends therefrom at a point outside the table flange 32 and in a position to engage a pin 36 of a respective one of the conveyor motor control switches 26. A coil spring 37 extends between the lower end of the respective finger 35 and a post 38 studded into the underside of the table 12. Adjustment of the tension spring 37 is accomplished by means of a wing nut 39' threaded onto a pin 40 which extends through the post 38 and is actually connected to the tension spring 37. The spring 37 holds the respective tucker plate 27 or 28 in its tucking position, i.e., as shown at the lower side of both FIGS. 2 and 5, by engagement between the end of an arcuate slot 41 and a stop post 42 that is erected on the edge of the machine table 12.

When a block of sheets to be wrapped is either canted relative to the line of travel of the conveyor 11 or off-set relative to that line of travel as shown, respectively, in FIGS. 2 or 5, the respective corner of the block 14 engages one or the other of the tucker plates 27 or 28. As is illustrated in FIG. 2, where the girth wrapped block 13 is shown as being canted slightly, the tucker plate 28 is functioning to tuck in the lower vertical front web 19 on that side, but poorly, because the web 19' will not be tightly wrapped around the edge of a block 14. Conversely, however, by reason of the tilting or canting of the block 14, the upper tucker plate 27 is unable to tuck in its respective vertical web 19 but, instead, has engaged the corner of the block 14 through the overwrap 15.

As the conveyor paddle 23 continues to move the girth wrapped block 13 forwardly (to the left in FIG. 2), the engagement of the corner of the block 14 with the tucker plate 27 swings the tucker plates 27 around its rocker pin 29 (in a counterclockwise direction) to the position indicated by the reference number 27a in FIG. 2 and shown in broken lines. This movement disengages the finger 35 from its respective switch pin 36, opening that switch 26 and de-energizing the motor for the conveyor 11. As will later be described with reference to FIG. 8, an audible or visual signal may also be actuated at this point to call the operators attention to the canted or jammed package or block so that he can correctly position it on the table and re-engage the conveyor motor.

Similarly, as shown in FIG. 5, if an individual girth wrapped block 13 is placed on the table 10 and moved onto the machine table 12 with its center line oflset from the center line of the conveyor 11, although squared up therewith, again the particular tucker plate 27 engaged by the corner of the block 14 through the overwrap 15 is swung horizontally to open its respective limit switch 26.

When the girth wrapped block 13 is correctly positioned, i.e., centered beneath the conveyor 11 and between the two tucker plates 27 and 28, each of them functions to tuck in the respective one of the front vertical webs 19 of the overwrap 15. The springs 37 are so adjusted that their tension is sufiicient to overcome the resistance of these front vertical webs 19 to being tucked in so that the tucker plates 27 and 28 remain in their innermost positions, holding their respective switches 26 closed so the conveyor 11 moves the block therebetween.

As the girth wrapped block 13 moves in the direction of the arrow indicated, for example in FIG. 5, the tucker plates 27 and 28 hold the front vertical end webs 19 inwardly in tightly tucked position and the girth wrapped block 13 moves to the position illustrated, in part, in FIG. 6. Rear web tuckers 43 are mounted, one at each side of the machine table 12, by vertical shafts 44 supported in ears 45 extending outwardly from an edge of the on-table 10 at its junction with the machine table 12. The normal position of the rear tuckers 43 is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5. Each tucker 43 comprises two vertically spaced, horizontal plates 46 positioned one above and one below the level of the front tucker plates 27 or 28 as the case may be.

After the particular girth wrapped block 13 has had its front vertical webs 19 tucked in as described above, and has been moved by the conveyor 11 to the position illustrated in FIG. 6, air cylinders 47 (FIG. 7) are actuated and, through bell cranks 48, swing the rear tuckers 43 from normal position (FIG. 5) to tucking position (FIG. 6). The inward movement of the rear tuckers 43 is such that they tuck in the respective rear vertical webs 20 at each corner of the girth wrapped block 13 just prior to the arrival of the rear vertical webs 20 at a point where they would be engaged by the respective leading corners of the horizontal tucker plates 27 and 28. As can best be seen in FIG. 6, tucking in of the rear vertical webs 20 at this time, and the holding of the rear vertical webs 20 in tucked position for a brief period of time by the two spaced plates 46 of the rear tuckers 43, allows the tucked in webs 20 to pass inwardly of the edges of the front tucker plates 27 and 28 without entanglements. Immediately after this tucking action and at a time just slightly later than that illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the air cylinders 47 are actuated to retract their respective rods and swing the rear tuckers 43 outwardly to the position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5.

Referring now to FIG. 8, a simplified wiring circuit for the apparatus comprises a start and stop and control panel 49 which is connected to power lines L and L The two switches 26 controlled by the front tucker plates 27 and 28 are connected in series with each other and with a conveyor motor 50 and a rear tucker actuating switch 51. The switch 51 is so located as to be engaged by a lug 52 on the conveyor chain 24 when the block 13 reaches the rear tucker position. Closing the switch 51 actuates 4-way air valves 53 to cause the cylinders 47 to swing the rear tuckers 43 inwardly. If either of the switches 26 is opened by a canted or offset block (as described above), a relay 54 is dropped out of circuit allowing its contacts 55 to close and actuating an audible or visual signal such as a bell 55.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus for tucking in the front and rear vertical webs of the protruding ends of an overwrap which has been girth wrapped around a rectangular block and sealed along overlapping margins of the overwrap, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a pair of opposed, horizontal, front tucker plates that are positioned on opposite sides of a path extending perpendicularly to the overlapped margins of said overwrap, each of said front tucker plates having a generally straight inner edge, said front tucker plates being mounted for pivotal movement on vertical axes between inner operating and outer stop positions, the inner edges of said front tucker plates being parallel and spaced horizontally from each other in operating position a distance only slightly greater than the length of said block along the overlapped margins of said overwrap, a conveyor extending along said path for moving girth wrapped blocks therealong with the protruding ends of the overwrap aligned with said front tucker plates, a motor for driving said conveyor, an electrical circuit for said motor, a switch in said circuit associated with each of said tucker plates, means on said tucker plates for holding said switches closed when said tucker plates are in operating position, and means for resiliently retaining said tucker plates in operating position.

2, Apparatus according to claim 1 and means for ad justably positioning said tucker plates vertically relative to the height of the girth wrapped block.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 and a rear tucker associated with each of said front tucker plates, each of said rear tuckers comprising a pair of arms located, respectively, above and below the level of said front tucker plate, said rear tuckers being movable between outer rest positions and inner tuck positions adjacent said front tucker plates and means for moving said rear tuckers to tuck positions just prior to the arrival of the rear vertical webs of the ends of the overwrap at the edges of said front tucker plates.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 5 3378 

